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The short-list for ten categories in the 97th Oscar Academy Awards was released on December 17th with the final nominees set to be announced on January 17th 2025.
However, for African cinema, this year’s journey to the Oscars underscores both the continent’s immense creative potential and its continuing challenges in breaking into the global spotlight.
The Academy Awards are set to take place on March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Ovation Hollywood.
For the 97th edition of the Oscars, several African countries submitted films for consideration in the Best International Feature Film category.
These included: Kenya’s Nawi, Egypt’s Flight 404, Algeria’s Algiers, Cameroon’s Kismet, Morocco’s Everybody Loves Touda, Nigeria’s Mai Martaba, Senegal’s Dahomey, and South Africa’s Old Righteous Blues.
Among these, Dahomey from Senegal stood out as the only African submission to make the Academy’s shortlist.
This milestone highlights both the region’s potential for excellence and the steep competition it faces on the global stage.
Kenya’s Nawi stood as a strong contender, with its intense narrative exploring themes of child marriage, education, and resilience.
Directed by Vallentine Chelluget, Apuu Mourine, and Kevin Schmutzler, Nawi tells the story of a bold 13-year-old girl defying tradition to reclaim her dream of education.
The film was written by Milcah Cherotich, Kevin Schmutzler, and Tobias Schmutzler and has an impressive cast comprising of actors like Michelle Lemuya Ikeny, Joel Liwan, and Benson Ochungo Obiero.
Premiering in Kenya on August 24, 2024, the film highlighted the resilience of African girls and the tension between cultural norms and individual aspirations.
Despite its compelling story and local acclaim, Nawi failed to advance, joining the majority of African submissions left behind in the nomination process.
The Academy’s Best International Feature Film category, established in 1956 and formerly known as Best Foreign Language Film, invites submissions from around the world, requiring films to feature primarily non-English dialogue.
For the 97th edition, 89 countries submitted films, with 85 entries deemed eligible by the Academy.
While African cinema has made strides in production quality and storytelling, its entries often face obstacles in gaining international recognition.
Limited marketing budgets, insufficient access to Academy voters, and competition from countries with more robust film industries all contribute to the underrepresentation of African films at the Oscars.
Despite the Academy’s efforts to diversify, the industry’s historical biases toward Western narratives remain a hurdle.
